


'a V 






■JV , f;. 



















^°, 



-ov*^ 



.,**' 



o 












,0^' 






^^ - I. - ^v 












A n^ f ° " ' • 












^<. 















.^^ _ __ _ .: • <— 






. 1 









_/^/^:^, 





















% 






^°'-* 



^; ^Hq, 









•J* 









' ,0' 



.0^ ^o. 









^0* . 



oV 



V . » * * ' . "^: 



"^^ 6^ ;V 






'bv 



^^0 .»f,>^^.^ - ^,^^<, ^5 






^^°^ 



^' 









V , " * o, 












^ l-i/ J^t:* 


















i) 

K--K, 



















^^ 



'^ 



^oV° 



-' -r. 












»bv" 



-n^o^ 






\A^ 



REPORT 



(hi the alterations in the Channel of Merrimack River. Read he- 
fore the Neio Hampshire Historical Society at its Annual Meet- 
ing^ in June J 1853. 



Iq compliimce with a vote of this Society, passed at its annual 
jueeting in June, 1852, by which tlie undersigned was requested 
t) tx-iiinine and report what changes or aherations have taken 
pliK'e in till' bed or channel of the Merrimack River, the following 
Report is sulmiitted as tho result of his investigations upon that 
subjecrt. 

'Vhv changes in the cluuiuel of the Merrimack have been ef- 
fected by two ditt'erent and distinct causes ; one of which may be 
termed natural, the other artificial. The former is caused by the 
operation of water alone, while the latter is effected by the genius 
of man, aided more or less by the operation of water. Most of 
the changes of the latter description have been produced by the 
operations of the Northern Railroad Company. 

This road, which extends from Concord to the Connecticut 
Itiver at Lebanon, is constructed as far as Franklin, a distance of 
eighteen miles, on the west bank of Merrimack River. On thus 
locatiTig the road, the company found formidable obstructions to 
the progress of their enterprise at three several points, to wit : at 
Farnum's eddy, at a point opposite Sewall's Island, and at Good- 
win's point, all of which are in Concord. 

The first of these obstructions, (at Farnum's eddy,) occurs 
about two miles northerly from the commencement of the road at 
the Concord station. A little above this place the river made a 
sudden curve and ran in a IS. W. direction, throwing the water 
with great force against a high bluff of clay and gravel, which 
forced the river again in a southerly direction, and formed its 
western bank. The river had made such encroachments upon this 
bluff that it had become prci'ii)itous. and no place existed on which 



2 CHANGES IN THE MERRIMACK RIVER. 

a foundatiou for the road could be constructed. To avoid this 
difficulty and to supply the deficiency, the company resorted to the 
expedient of filling up and rubbling with stones the western side 
of the river's channel at this point, which was successfully ef- 
fected, though at considerable expense, the river being very deep. 
This operation caused the water to be thrown upon the eastern 
or opposite shore with such force as to carry away a large quan- 
tity of the land, and make heavy encroachments upon the owners 
of the soil on that side of the river, to the extent of at \e;\<t twelve 
rods wide, and forty or fifty rods in the direction of the diaunel. 

The next impediment, opposite Sewall's Island, is some two 
miles above the former. That branch of the river wliitth flowed 
on the Avest side of the island was much the largest of the two, 
and passed directly at the foot of a high and steep bank, rendering 
it impracticable to construct the road at that place. To obviate 
that difficulty a dam was constructed across the western branch 
of the river at its bifurcation at the north end of the is- 
land, by which process all the water of the river was made 
to flow through the narrow eastern channel. This caused exten- 
sive inroads to be made upon the proprietors of land on the east- 
ern side of the river, who suffered largely by the depredation com- 
mitted by the water. More than two hundred rods in length, 
and from twenty to twenty-five rods in width, were swept away. 
The river having been made to flow through the eastern channel, 
an unobstructed way was opened for the construction of the rail- 
road directly over Sewall's Island. 

Upon arriving at the head of Sewall's falls, some five or six 
miles from the commencement of the road, at a place called Good- 
win's Point, an obstruction still more formidable presented itself. 
Goodwin's Point is a peninsula or long tongue of land made by a 
sudden bend in the river from a southerly to a westerly direction, 
running for the distance of more than two hundred rods, to a high 
and precipitous bluff" upon which the river was making annual en- 
croachments. This obstruction caused the river to make a short 
and sudden sweep to the south and S K., returning, after flowing 
four to five hundred rods to a point south, and within one hundred 
rods of the place of its departure from its accustomed southerly 
course, forming a curve in the form of an ox-bow. In conse- 
quence of this obstruction it became impracticable to construct 



CHANGES IN THE MERRIMACK RIVER. 3 

the railroad on the western side of the river at this point. It be- 
came necessary, therefore, either to build and maintain two ex- 
pensive bridges within the space of one hundred rods, or to cut a 
new channel for the river across the base of the peninsula, and 
cause the water to flow in that direction, and thus permit the rail- 
road to be built across the peninsula and on the west side of the 
river. The company chose the latter expedient, and the Merri- 
mack now flows but about one hundred rods to reach a point, 
which, before the alteration it traversed four hundred to five hun- 
dred rods. 

The excavaiiiju for this new channel, across the base of Good- 
win's Point, was commenced in the fall of 1845. While prosecut- 
ius" the work in the spring of 1846, the workmen, at the depth of 
al)out 12 feet, struck upou a bed or stratum of vegetable matter, 
cousistiiig ol leaves, branches and trunks of small trees, the latter 
from tliree to six inches in diameter : the form of which was per- 
fect, and the bark distinct. Tlie texture was decayed and tender, 
offering l)ut little resistance to edge tools, and was easily separated 
and picked to pieces by the fingers. 

This vegetable deposit was found imbedded in a stratum of fine 
blue sand, which at first sight was mistaken for blue clay, and was 
from one to three inches in thickness. Tiie leaves and other small 
materials of the deposit were so disorganized and delicate, that 
their botanical character could not be establislied with the means 
at hand. But the trunks and large branches were recognized as 
belonging to the natural order couifera;, and ranked under what 
are denominated evergreens. 

From the above facts it is evident that at some remote period 
unknown to the present race, the place where these vegetable re- 
mains were deposited formed the bed or channel of the Merrimack : 
that it gradually receded from the East as it succeeded in wearing 
away the bluff' on the West, and depositing the alluvium thus made 
toward the point from which it receded. Thus by an operation 
constantly and silently going on, a large tract of valuable and 
productive alluvial land, here called interval, was, in process of 
time deposited and formed. 

The foregoing embrace all the essential alterations that have 
been artificially made in the channel of the Merrimack. 



4 CHANGES IN THE MERRIMACK RIVER. 

Another instance of an ancient bed of the river has, however, 
recently been discovered. In the Autumn of 1852, while exca- 
vating for the gasometer at the south end of the principal village 
of Concord, preparatory to the erection of the gas-works, the 
workmen, at the depth of ten feet below the surface, struck upon 
a deposit of vegetable matter, consisting of fragments of tlie roots, 
trunks and branches of trees. They were found deposited in a 
stratum of ferruginous sand, (composed of saud aud (jxido of iron) 
and in some instances the fragments of roots and lua riches of 
trees were completely incased in a firm coating or i rust of the 
oxide of iron and sand from one eighth to one half an incli in 
thickness. Immediately above the vegetable deposit was a stra- 
tum of black magnetic-iron saud, such as is used for desiccating 
ink (HI paper to prevent blotting. It would average an inch in 
thickness. Next above the stratum of iron-sand rested a deposit 
of blue clay. Above the clay were alternate but regular strata of 
fine and coarse sand, tine and coarse gravel and pebbles of various 
and unequal thickness ; all showing indubitable marks of having 
been deposited by the agency of water. This deposit was found 
at an elevation many feet above where the waters of the Merri- 
mack ever reach in modern times, even at its highest overflow. 

My attention was first called to this interesting deposit through 
the kindness of the Hon. Matthew Harvey, and with him immedi- 
ately visited the locality and made all needful examination, and 
collected a good supply of specimens for future use. 

The natural causes of changes in the channel of the Merrimack 
will next engage our attention. 

Wherever there are bottom or interval lands bordering the 
Merrimack, we find changes in its channel almost constantly tak- 
ing place. But little of such land exists on the Merrimack, either 
above Boscawen, or below Concord. Between the towns of Frank- 
lin aud Northfield, however, there is a small tract of interval, 
but not of suthcieut magnitude to admit of any considerable change 
in llie channel of the river. Between the towns of Boscawen and 
Caiilerliury, lliese bottom lauds become much more extensive, 
through which the river, in its meanderiugs, is constantly, though 
for the most of the time slowly, wearing away its banks at sun- 
dry points, filling in on the opposite side, and thereby changing 
the chauuel of the stream. 



«'HAN«KS IN THK MKKRIMACK KIVER. O 

liul by far the most exlcusive expansion of interval lands lies 
within the towif of Concord, and it is here that the most extensive 
<'hanges in the channel of tlie Mi'iriniack have taken place ; and 
lier»' also has been the principal tiieatrc of our examinations, 
lint little doubt can exist in tliu inin<l oi any one who has be- 
llowed his thoughts upon the subject, that the whole expanse of 
the wide and extensive interval lands lying within this town, has 
been traversed by the JMerrimack. Wherever excavations have 
been made, indubitable marks of the ancient bed of the river, and 
depcjsitioiis caused by the action of water are met with. It is 
generally conceded, and in fact I think it hardly admits of a doubt, 
tiiat the present bed of the Lagoon called Horse-shoe Pond, at 
<ome period, perhaps not very remote, formed the channel of the 
.Merrimack. 

Wlierevi r abrasions or wearing away of the bank on one side 
of the river takes place, there is a corresponding tilling in on the 
opposite, and these operations are constantly going on at the 
<Mirves and bends of the stream. The gi'eatest and most signal 
changes are produced, however, by the resistless power of water 
♦luring the great overflows or high floods, when great encroach- 
ments, and sometimes extensive ravages are committed, causing a 
great loss of property, but occasionally enriching one man at the 
«'xpense of his more imfortunate neighbor. The water, being 
thrown against the bank on one side of the river, is, by the resist- 
ing force there met with, reflectingly forced in the direction of the 
opposite bank, although at some distance below, and in its turn 
wearing that away also. By this process the channel of the river 
grows more and more crooked and tortuous, and in process of 
time gi'eat changes and even revolutions in the channel of the 
river are eflected. 

Beginning at the north, the first considerable inroads made by 
the action of the water we have met with, beside those already 
named, at Goodwin's Point and at Sewall's Island, occurs on the 
east side ol" the river below iSewall's Island, carrying away the 
land of the Messrs. Locke and others to the amount of twenty-five 
rods in width by two hundred in length. Passing by Faruum's 
Eddy, already described, we next arrive at the angle of the 
river above the old site of the Federal Bridge, where the river 
takes a sudden turn from a southerly to an easterly direction. 



b CHANGES IN THE MEKHIMACK KIVEK. 

Here the water has made considerable eucroachiueul upon the 
south side, and carried off much of the hxud opposite the Squaw- 
lot, so-called, but the owners of the land there have rubbled the 
bank, hoping to check further depredation. Previous to this 
liowever, the water had carried off a tract of interval twenty-five 
rods in its greatest width, by one hundred and twenty-five i-ods in 
length. At the Federal Bridge, as now located, which is some 
forty rods east of its former location, the river turns again soutb- 
erly, or rather south-easterly ; consequently the water, by imping- 
ing upon the eastern bank has carried off a large (piantity of tlif 
land, so that within the memory of the present inhabitants at tb«> 
East village, the rocks, now to be seen on the treM side of tin- 
river, (and considerable inbvnd too,) below Federal Bridge, for- 
merly served as resting places on which the people were wout t(» 
sit and fish on the easteni, side. By the resistance here met witli 
tiie water rebounds and is forced diagoually across the bed of the 
stream to the west side striking with such force against that pari 
of the interval called the Faiiiim to make great and rapid inroads 
upon laud owned by Abiel Walker, to the amount of eigiity rods 
in length by thirty-five to forty in width, so that rocks, now to be 
seen far to the north, on land of Jonathan Eastman. Es(j., were on 
the soiiUi bank of the river witliin fifty years. This oj)eratioii 
produced a sudden bend in the river to the north east, directly 
against a high sandy bluff called Sugar-ball. Here the river turns 
upon itself at an acute angle, being forced south, which course it 
pursued some sixty rods. And here we arrive at the greatest and 
most important changes that have taken place in the channel ol 
the Merrimack. From the point last arrived at, the river ran in 
a south-west direction, to Fort Eddy, a distance of one hundred 
and twenty-five rods, where meeting with a higher elevation of 
laud it was forced south and east and soon to the north-east, which 
course it pursued two hundred and fifty rods to Kimball's Ferry, 
at the foot of the eastern bluff, a little south of Sugar-ball. At 
this point the river was again tbrccd in a south-west direction, 
and after pursuing that course for one hundred and twenty-five 
rods, it arrived at the place where it was intersected by the pres- 
ent channel as the river now runs. 

By these two sudden bends in the channel, two long ox-bow 
like curves were formed l>y tlie rher inclosing two narrow tongues 



CHANGES IN TIW. MKRRIMACK RIVER. 7 

"t laud or peninsulas, formerly from forty to eighty rods in width 
l»v one. liundred and twenty-five rods in length. That included 
within the Northern ox-how was known as Sugar-hall Point, and 
fliat within the southern as Hale's Point. Over the latter, (Ilale's 
I'oint,) passed the road from Main street, at Herbert's, to Kini- 
hiill's Ferry, In order to a correct understanding of the situation 
and extent of these peninsulas it is important to consult maps of 
the river, made at ditfcreut periods. By the map of 174G, we 
learn tluit at that time Ilale's Point was much wider than Sugar- 
hall Point ; whilf by that of 1804, we learn that at that date the 
f'ontravy was trui-. The width of each was more uniform in 1746 
iliaii in l.S()4, when each had become narrowed at the place of 
union with the main land, forming a sort of neck. This neck 
< initiiiiK'il to grow narrower by the action of the water from above, 
until the great freshet of 1826, when a large mass of the eastern 
portion of Sugar-ball point was swept away, and in the great 
«tverfl(jw of 1828, a breach was made quite across the peninsula, 
foruiiiig an island on the west, now owned by Richard Bradley, 
Esq. The river, by flowing through this new channel spent its 
full force upon the northern shore of Hale's Point, rapidly wear- 
ing it away, so that as early as January, 1831, during a great 
winter freshet, the water completed a channel for the river entire- 
ly across that also, cutting the road to Kimball's Ferry, which it 
left one hundred and twenty-five rods to the east, while the river, 
intersecting the accustomed channel on the south, pursued its way 
toward the place of its destination. 

In performing a journey around these curves the water of 
the river flowed over a space of some four himdred and sixty 
rods, to reach a point at whi(;h it now arrives in flowing one hun- 
dred and fifty rods, or one-third of the original distance. 

From this last cut off, at Hale's Point, the river pursues a south 
west course to a little above Free Bridge, so called, where it 
sweeps round to the S. E. making extensive encroachment upon 
the west bank, both above and below the bridge, to the extent 
since 1804. of twenty-five rods in width. But further encroach- 
ment upon the land of .Joseph P. Stickney, above the bridge, has 
been recently arrested by rubbling the west bank. From a little 
below the bridge the river pursues a south-east course for about 
two hundred rods to a high bluff, called Davis' bluff. At the top 



8 CHANGES IN THK MKKIMMACK IMVKK. 

of this bluff a Mr. Davis had a pat^-h of about two acres of land 
ou which was a house, out-buiklings, orchard, &C. To the south- 
east of the Davis place, and still farther from the river, was sit- 
uated the Branch Turnpike, so called. Airaiust this bluff the 
water rushes with considerable force, constantly wearing it away, 
more especially for the last ten years, within which time the 
whole of the Davis place has been carried off, and the excavation 
has approached to within a few feet of the turn])ike. Meetin^i' 
with this resistance, the river is again forced to tlie south-west, to 
a little above the lower or Concord Bridge, one hundred rods dis- 
tant, where it again sweeps to the soutli-east. At this turn as ;it 
all others, tln^ water has woni away tlie bank against wlii<-li ii 
impinges above tin- bridge, until il apj)roached and e\('ii en- 
croached upiMi thi' main ti';i\el mad In tlic l)ridgt'. anil \\as only 
))reveuted fi-oni \\;(-iiing tliat awav by nibbbug the bank ol lln' 
river at that place. 

The foi'i;going endirace all tin' alterations and clianges worthy 
of note that have l>eeii effected or taken plueeiii the channel of the 
Merrimack for the la>t fifty yeai's. 

It may be well here to remark again that wlierevvr there li;i^ 
been a wearing away of one bank of the ri\er ihert' has been a 
corresponding filling in cm the oppomfc, so that in the main, tiie 
width of the river is not materially changed. 

Much credit and many thanks are due to Jonathan Eastman, 
Ks(j., of Concord, a practical Surveyor, foj- the loan of a <"opy of 
tlie map of Coucord of 1<S()4.* for the jmr|»osc of comparison, and 
for his assistance in ascertaining tlu' location and extent of the 
several (changes in the channel of the Merrimack. 

Also, to Richard Bradley, Joseph 1*. Stickney and Lynuin A. 
Walker, Esquires, of Concord, foi* pointing out by actual exami- 
nation on the spot, many of the iiuj)ortant changes which ha\e 
taken place in the chatmel of the river. 

All of which is respectfully submitted, 

WILLIAM PRESCOTT. 

Concord, June, 1853. 

* A copy of this Map is deposited in the labrary of the N. H. Hist. See. 
with the changes in the River marked witii red lines 



CHANGES IN THE MKRRIMACK BIVEK. 3 

APPENDIX 

To the Report on the alterations in the channel of Merrimack River. 

Teu years having elapsed since the report to which this is an 
appendix was niade, and many important changes in the channel 
ot" the river haviug taken place within that period, it seems im- 
portant and very desirable that a record of sucli changes should be 
made and thus bring the report down to the present time. 

Beginning at the north and proceeding south, the first impor- 
tant change in tlic bed of the river occurs on its eastern shore op- 
posite .Scwall's Island, and extending for a considerable distance 
below. Here the water has washed away the valuable laud be- 
longing to the Messrs. Locke and others for a distance of more 
than two hundred rods in length, and from five to eight rods in 
width. 

The river has made considerable inroads also, opposite and be- 
low Farnum's Eddy. By rubbliug the south bank, opposite the 
Squaw lot, the encroachment at that point has been checked. 
But on land of Jonathan Eastnum, Esq., l)elow Federal Bridge, 
the water is annually making large eucroachmeut. From this 
point the water is thrown with great force upon the north side of 
the Fan^ so called, where it is rapidly washing away the land of 
Lyman A. Walker, (formerly Abiel Walker's) having carried off 
no less than three acres in the spring of 1862. 

The excavation made at this point has increased the bend in the 
river by which the ciu'rent is being thrown still further toward the 
noi'th striking with great force against Sugar-ball bluff, a sand 
bank, from seventy-five to one hundred feet in height. Of this 
mass, the water has carried off within the last ten years, no less 
than forty rods wide by eighty long, with a corresponding filling 
in of the opposite side, so that the channel of the river at this 
point, (the vSugar-ball) is forty rods further to the east than it was 
in 1853. 

For the first time within the memory of our oldest citizens, the 
river has made, within a few years, large encroachments upon its 
south-eastern bank and above the Free Bridge, where in the 
spring of 1862, the flood carried off a large margin of land for 
Joseph P. Stickney, together with a barn standing thereon, and 



10 CHANGES IN THE MERRIMACK RIVER. 

another bara was only saved from tlie same fate by removing it 
further inland. 

These successive floods have continued their devastations also, 
at Davis' Bluff, and carried off Branch Turnpike, beside several 
rods farther inland. A new road that had been made around the 
bluff as a substitute, united with the turnpike again at the house 
of Mr. Wyatt, which was supposed at the time to be out of further 
danger. The freshet of 1863 cut that off and and approached to 
within a few feet of Mr. W.'s house, rendering it necessary to re- 
move the same before another year. The encroachment at that 
place was so rapid that a margin of three rods wide was carried 
away in as many days. 

During the great flood in the spring of 1862, the water for al- 
most or quite the first time, committed considerable damage be- 
low the lower or Concord Bridge, where on the east side, it has 
excavated large and deep holes, washed and gullyed the Pem- 
broke road, carried off a small bridge, ttc. Another such over- 
flow will be likely to be attended with still greater disaster. 

It is supposed by many tliat the increase of damage upon the 
Fan, Sugar-ball, and Stickney's land, is caused by the construc- 
tion of the Boston, Concord ifc Montreal railroad aci'oss the inter- 
vale from the R. R. station to Federal Bridge. Doul)tless much 
of the surplus water which, during an ovei'flow, spread out over 
the interval, and passed off gently into the river below, is now 
forced to seek an outlet in the vicinity of Federal Bridge, causing 
a greater accumulation of Avater at that point, which, rushing 
down against the northern side of the Fan, to be in its turn thrown 
also against Sugar-ball and Mr. Stickney's land, very materially 
increased the destruction of the laud at those places. 

WILLIAM PRESCOTT. 

Concord, April 1863. 



3477-61 
Let -19 



C 1 



-f^' 



i 






/i^/^ 










X 






-?=% 



/ / 





V. 



'J 



^^o^ 






or 



^o 



'^'^ ^o V^ 



^o 






4 O 










^"-v^ -. 






^0 













"^o V^" 



^^-; 



>. 






q. <o <> ' * ' 







\ 



O t- 



.^ 



s>*:. 



c 



» 



N' 



<> - 5 • • ' 



'X' 



^: 



.,^; 



> 






-\i '■•■-^\y 



o , » * ^V 



•^o. 



.-^^ 



.FEB 78 










-■?-' 






'^.^ 






,**\-"° 



•^ol.* 



"''*^ 

■^ 



-ot jP -7* 



'>^14^/ o 



^"^^. 



■>. ,^ •V 



-t- 



^ - 

^^. 



^....^•^^ 



"^^..^^ 



V 



